A day in the life
What our students and instructors are saying about the Graduate certificate in Mental Health and Addictions
It challenges me to think through the lens of other health professionals and contributes to the development of a holistic, collaborative community approach to addressing mental health issues."
Laura Tremaine
Student
Laura says the certificate is harmonious with her educational background, and complimentary with her hopes for the direction of her career. Currently working as a Youth Employablility Program Officer at the Centre for Entrepreneurship, Education and Developement (CEED), Laura completed her Bachelor of Kinesiology at Acadia University, and a Masters in Occupational Therapy from Dalhousie in 2014. Her passion for social justice, community development and social inclusion is what interested her in the certificate.
"The courses provide an incredible platform to explore current intervention strategies and best practice models that can be integrated into practice," says Laura. "It works to create more informed clinicians and better advocates for client and community needs in mental health."
Mental health and addictions issues are prevalent in our society at all levels in all socioeconomic groups as well as across cultures. Each of us needs to have a working knowledge of mental health and addictions to be effective practitioners."
Karen Rebeiro Gruhl
Instructor
Karen is an occupational therapist who completed her BSc and MSc in Occupational Therapy from Western, and then went on to get her PhD in Interdisciplinary Rural and Northern Health from Laurentian University. Before retiring in August 2016, she practiced as an occupational therapist in mental health for 31 years. She is actively engaged in research focused on employment and the development of consumer initiatives in Northern Ontario.
Karen is currently teaching HLTH 5110, Mental Health and Addictions Services and Systems and enjoys "the level of discussion that is reflective of both the maturity and work experiences of the students, as well as their disciplinary worldview."